A KITE IS A VICTIMBy Leonard CohenFrom: The Spice-Box of EarthMarch 1965 A kite is a victim you are sure of. You love it because it pulls gentle enough to call you master,strong enough to call you fool;because it liveslike a desperate trained falconin the high sweet air,and you can always haul it downto tame it in your drawer. A kite is a fish you have already caughtin a pool where no fish come,so you play him carefully and long,and hope he won’t give up,or the wind die down. A kite is the last poem you’ve written,so you give it to the wind,but you don’t let it gountil someone finds yousomething else to do. A kite is a contract of glorythat must be made with the sun,so make friends with the fieldthe river and the wind,then you pray the whole cold night before,under the travelling cordless moon,to make you worthy and lyric and pure. Interview with Suzanne Link to Cohen's discussion of how he lost the rights to Suzanne. Why does he say it's fitting that he not make money from this song?
POETRY ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS: 1. READ THE POEM ONCE FIRST, before doing any analysis. Read again for analysis. 2. READ POET'S BIOGRAPHY, IF YOU CAN 3. READ ANY FOOTNOTES
ANALYSIS:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ANALYSIS OF A POEM:
DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING: 1. STRUCTURE/PHYSICAL
-free verse?
-stanzas? rhyme scheme? 2. POETIC DEVICES
-rhyme
-similes/metaphors/alliteration/onomatopoeia
-repetition
-sound devices
-capitals=>apostrophe?
-spacing/use of space? 3. READING DEEPER
-theme: what is poet saying about the topic? life?
-title
-setting/atmosphere/mood
-imagery
-allusions
How to Create your OWN Animated Poetry using Powerpoint/Keynote Create your OWN VIDEO POEM. 1. Write your original poem first (You can use this for your Beatnik Presentation) 2. Use your smartphone to record video clips or take pictures to illustrate your poem 3. Use some free apps to splice together your video clips, music and your own voice reading your poem. (an example of free easy to use video editing app that I've tried on my iPhone4: Splice). If you have video editing software already, you can also use that. 4. Upload to your creative writing blog so you can share it.
POETRY UNIT:
INTRODUCTION TO POETRY
WHY WRITE/READ POETRY?
Leonard Cohen interview with Adrienne Clarkson.
Hallelujah
Dance Me to the End of Love
First we Take Manhattan
Leonard Cohen "A Kite is a Victim"
A KITE IS A VICTIMBy Leonard CohenFrom: The Spice-Box of EarthMarch 1965
A kite is a victim you are sure of.
You love it because it pulls
gentle enough to call you master,strong enough to call you fool;because it liveslike a desperate trained falconin the high sweet air,and you can always haul it downto tame it in your drawer.
A kite is a fish you have already caughtin a pool where no fish come,so you play him carefully and long,and hope he won’t give up,or the wind die down.
A kite is the last poem you’ve written,so you give it to the wind,but you don’t let it gountil someone finds yousomething else to do.
A kite is a contract of glorythat must be made with the sun,so make friends with the fieldthe river and the wind,then you pray the whole cold night before,under the travelling cordless moon,to make you worthy and lyric and pure.
Interview with Suzanne
Link to Cohen's discussion of how he lost the rights to Suzanne. Why does he say it's fitting that he not make money from this song?
SLAM POETRY
Vancouver Slam Poetry
Youth Slam: Hullaballoo
MS. K'S SAMPLE POETRY PARAGRAPH ANALYSIS
POETRY 11UHILL SECONDARY.docx
Poetry Resources
SOME USEFUL LINKS FOR YOUR GROUP PROJECT/POETRY THEATRE ASSIGNMENT:
READINGS:
Canadian Literature:
- Earle Birney Biography
- "Vancouver Lights"
- "Bear on the Delhi Road"
- "David"
QUESTIONS FOR "DAVID" HEREPOETRY ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS:
1. READ THE POEM ONCE FIRST, before doing any analysis. Read again for analysis.
2. READ POET'S BIOGRAPHY, IF YOU CAN
3. READ ANY FOOTNOTES
ANALYSIS:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ANALYSIS OF A POEM:
DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING:
1. STRUCTURE/PHYSICAL
-free verse?
-stanzas? rhyme scheme?
2. POETIC DEVICES
-rhyme
-similes/metaphors/alliteration/onomatopoeia
-repetition
-sound devices
-capitals=>apostrophe?
-spacing/use of space?
3. READING DEEPER
-theme: what is poet saying about the topic? life?
-title
-setting/atmosphere/mood
-imagery
-allusions
e.e. cummings BIO
"spring is like a perhaps hand" by e.e. cummings
"next to of course god" by e.e. cummings
William Carlos Williams BIO
"The Red Wheelbarrow"
"This is Just to Say"
ROBERT FROST BIO
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
The Road not Taken
E.J. PRATT BIO
"The Prize Cat"
IRVING LAYTON BIO
"The Bull Calf"
SONNETS: read about the types of sonnets HERE
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH BIO
"Upon Westminster Bridge"
"The World is Too Much With Us"
ELIZABETH BARRET BROWNING BIO
"How do I love thee"
JOHN MILTON BIO
"On His Blindness"
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE BIO
"Shall I Compare Thee" click here to see how to analyze a Shakespearean sonnet.
EDMUND SPENSER BIO
"Amoretti, Sonnet #75"
E-LITERATURE.
Billy Collins' Action Poetry
Moving Poems
e-literature.org some good e.g.'s: code movie
How to Create your OWN Animated Poetry using Powerpoint/Keynote
Create your OWN VIDEO POEM.
1. Write your original poem first (You can use this for your Beatnik Presentation)
2. Use your smartphone to record video clips or take pictures to illustrate your poem
3. Use some free apps to splice together your video clips, music and your own voice reading your poem. (an example of free easy to use video editing app that I've tried on my iPhone4: Splice). If you have video editing software already, you can also use that.
4. Upload to your creative writing blog so you can share it.